


Waiting

by xspike4evax



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 11:44:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17043116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xspike4evax/pseuds/xspike4evax
Summary: Daphne wondered, and not for the first time, if she was waiting for a man who could never come? Was Harry even alive?





	Waiting

“I’ll find you, wherever you go I’ll find you, Daphne,” 

 

The husky voice of Harry Potter echoed in her head as Daphne Greengrass sat on the large rocks, the deep blue of the sea spread out before her as far as the eye could see. The sun sat high in powder blue sky, sending hot rays down to warm her skin.

Daphne sighed softly, she kept thinking about Harry, kept replaying his last words to her over and over again; a fresh piece of her heart seemed to break each time she thought about it, and Harry still didn’t come. 

Two years had passed since the fateful day Harry had sent her away. Two long years. Although it seemed Daphne had physically recovered from the shock of the command; mentally she was sick and dazed. Alone at night she would still wallow in a deep confusion she couldn’t find her way out of. 

It was a broken heart which had her feeling such things, Daphne knew. She felt as though Harry had abandoned her after all the promises he had made to look after her and love her. 

Harry had said it was because he loved her that he was sending her away, to a destination he knew nothing about. Harry had told her he didn’t want to know where she was, if he knew she wouldn’t be safe. He wasn’t sure if his connection with Voldemort would release this information; it wasn’t a risk Harry was willing to take. 

Harry’s ghost still haunted her; his soft green eyes still smiled at her in her memory and every time she heard the garden gate creak, for one sweet moment Daphne would think it was Harry, that he had found her at last. She would rush to the window, only to find the gate hadn't caught on the latch properly. 

Her depression had dragged on for months, until reading in a magazine about cases where heartbreak had led to the woman’s decline and she had pinned herself into an early grave had helped Daphne to pull herself together, after all, she wasn’t exactly alone was she? 

A smile touched her lips and she turned her eyes away from the water to observe the busy antics of her son. He was digging in the sand with a little red shovel, his small face set into a mask of concentration; he must have felt her watching him because he looked up; looking at her with Harry's emerald green eyes.

Hopping off the rock, Daphne’s toes sank into the warm sand as she crossed to her son. “What are you doing, Harry?” She knelt beside him, brushing his golden locks from his forehead. He had his father's eyes and her colouring, little Harry was the perfect mixture of them both. 

“Digging.” 

“Shall mummy help?” 

“Yes.” Harry turned his attention back to the hole and began digging again. 

Doing her best to ensure the little plastic shovel didn’t crack her knuckles, Daphne used her fingers to help dig the hole. “Are you looking for treasure?” 

“Yes.” 

As she dug, Daphne wondered exactly what was going on in the wizarding world at the moment. It was awful being kept in the dark about everything and everyone. She had no idea if the war was still going on; had the war ended months ago? Was Harry out searching for them now? 

Shuddering violently, Daphne blinked back the tears as she wondered, and not for the first time, if she was waiting for a man who could never come? Was Harry even alive? 

Little Harry stopped his digging and picked up a small white plastic bucket, with ice-cream cones painted on it. Swinging it back and forth he trotted down to the water's edge and began to scoop water into the bucket. 

Squinting against the glare of the sun on the surface of the water, Daphne watched her son with an aching heart. Harry had missed so much already, would he be destined to miss his son grow up completely? Would little Harry ever know the man he was named for? The man he was so much alike even at only two years old? 

Arriving back beside her, little Harry attempted to tip his bucket of water into the hole. He looked extremely perplexed when the water disappeared almost instantly. Reaching out to him Daphne gathered her son in her arms and hugged him tightly. 

Little Harry squirmed, his voice raised indignantly at being squeezed so fiercely. “No squishing.” 

“Don’t you want a big squish from mummy?” 

“No! I wanna dig!” he informed her, squirming again. “Wan my shobel,” 

“Shovel,” Daphne corrected, placing a kiss to his temple and releasing him. 

Sitting back in the sand Daphne gazed out over the glistening water again. If Harry couldn’t come for her, would Ron or Hermione come? Would they even know where to begin to look? Daphne was sure Harry would know where to come for her; he had holidayed here with his family when he was a small boy. It might not be the first place he would think to look for her, but he would eventually think of Brighton, of this Daphne was sure. 

Leaving the country had not been an option she had been willing to consider. Although Harry was sending her away, Daphne had wanted to stay as close by as she could, even if Harry didn’t know about it. Brighton had been the only link with Harry she could think of. 

She had been going to go into hiding with the Dursley’s, The Order of the Phoenix had placed them in a secure house, or at least that was what everyone had believed. There had been a traitor among them who had given away the hiding place of Harry’s family and Death Eaters had attacked. 

Daphne brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead as she recalled the day Harry had been told about the death of his only living relatives. He had cried in her arms that night, cried harsh, bitter tears for the people who had never loved him the way he had needed them to; and she had cried with him. 

Suddenly Daphne pounded her heel into the sand with petulant frustration. “What was I thinking?” she demanded of herself. “Why the hell did I come here? Why would Harry choose to think of a place that holds no good memories for him at all? Why would he think to come here!” 

“Maybe because I know the way your mind works?” 

Daphne became still, she hardly dared to breathe as a shadow fell across her face. Closing her eyes her lips moved in a silent prayer before she turned to look at the figure beside her. “Oh,” she breathed, her eyes widening as he squatted down next to her, eyes roving over her face as though he had never seen her before. 

“I told you I’d find you, didn’t I?” Harry reminded her, fingers touching lightly to her cheek.. 

“Harry…” Daphne’s voice broke as she flung her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly, her face buried against his neck. “Is it you? Really you?” 

“It’s me,” he assured her. 

“Oh, Harry, I’ve waited so long!” 

“You and me both,” Harry replied, closing his eyes to savor the moment of finally having Daphne in his arms again. 

“I’ve been so scared you wouldn’t come, Harry,” she told him, tears running freely down her face. 

“I was always going to find you, even if it was the last thing I ever did,” he said, kissing her temple softly. “Let me look at you, Daphne.” 

His fingers traced the delicate contours of her face as he gazed hungrily at her. Harry had missed Daphne more than he had believed was possible, he had thought about her every day, hating that he didn’t know where she was and if she was safe. 

Brushing her tears away with gentle fingers, Harry closed the gap between them and kissed her softly. Her arms wrapped around him again and she kissed him back, sliding into his shoulder easily as though the two years had never been and it had only been minutes ago she had been kissing him. It was all so easy with Harry, they fit together perfectly. 

Breaking away from him Daphne blinked rapidly to clear her tears. “We’re forgetting Harry. Sweetie, come here,” she turned her attention to little Harry who was kneeling by his hole, watching them with interest. 

“Oh Merlin,” Harry hissed, his hands tightening their grip on her shoulders. “Is he….?” 

“Well of course, he’s the reason you sent me away,” Daphne replied, she held out her arms and her son came to her as he usually did. Scooping him up she sat him on her lap. “Look, Harry, look whose here. It’s the man from the photograph, isn’t it?” 

“Yes,” little Harry agreed, his eyes large and interested as he gazed up at Harry. 

“Who is the man in the photograph, Harry?” Daphne prompted, smoothing his hair gently. 

The little boy examined Harry closely before replying. “Daddy.” 

Hot tears stung Harry’s eyes as he looked at the little boy sitting in Daphne’s lap. His chest tightened as emotions he had never before experienced rushed through his system causing him to tremble. Swallowing the aching lump in his throat Harry reached out in a daze to touch the silky blonde curls of his son. 

For two years Harry had wondered, imagined, dreamt of this moment. Now it was finally here he had no words to speak, only emotions to feel. 

Daphne finally spoke with a quavering voice which threatened a multitude of tears she had left to cry. “Go on, Harry, give daddy a big squish.” 

Before Harry even had chance to wonder what “big squish” might mean, two chubby arms had wrapped themselves around his neck so tightly he almost choked. Harry didn’t try to fight the tears, he let them fall, unashamed to cry at the tremendous joy he was currently feeling. His son felt so small in his arms, and he smelt of salt water from the sea, damp sand and talcum powder. Harry was also fairly certain that at some point during the day the little boy had been eating white chocolate. 

“My boys,” Daphne whispered, curling into Harry's embrace when he held out an arm for her. Closing her eyes Daphne let the contentment and relief wash over her. All bothersome thoughts were gone now and it seemed ridiculous that only hours ago she had been worrying about going to the beach because she had a pile of laundry to do! 

Harry held them both tightly, pressing them into the warmth of his body, wishing he could absorb everything about them in a split second. He knew in his heart he would never be without either of them again. Daphne had given him the only thing he had ever wanted in life. She had given him the chance to become part of a small, significant group of people who laughed together, cried together, fought each other, looked out for each other and loved each other no matter what happened. 

Daphne had given him a family, and Harry was determined to never let anything separate them again.


End file.
